Dimensions of Usability: Cougaar, Aglets, Dimensions of Usability: Cougaar, Aglets, and Adaptive Agent Architecture and Adaptive Agent Architecture

Dimensions of Usability: Cougaar, Aglets, Dimensions of Usability: Cougaar, Aglets, and Adaptive Agent Architecture and Adaptive Agent Architecture

Jereme HaackPNNL

Andrew CowellPNNL

Ian GortonNICTA

Corresponding Author: jereme@pnl.gov

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OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview

Introduction and Task SummaryDiscussion of Architectures Adaptive Agent Architecture (AAA) Aglets Cougaar

Dimensions of Usability with Evaluations Developer Support Examples of Use Workflow Community Support

Conclusion

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Selected ArchitecturesSelected ArchitecturesSelected ArchitecturesSelected Architectures

Adaptive Agent Architecture Multi-broker, multi-agent system architecture Developed at Oregon Health & Science University to promote active

research in multi-agent systems

Aglets Devised at IBM’s Tokyo Research Laboratory then released as

open source The fundamental differentiating technology in Aglet architecture is

agent mobility

Cougaar Developed for DARPA under the Advanced Logistics Program Designed to solve logistics planning problems using a cognitive

model based on human reasoning.

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Task SummaryTask SummaryTask SummaryTask Summary

Stock Purchasing Application1. Purchasing Agent plans

purchase orders

2. PA asks Experts who know about each stock for a recommendation

3. If all responses are “yes” order is sent to Buying Agent

4. If there is a “no”, replan, ask experts again

Expert Agents

Purchasing Agents

Buying Agent

Stocks

100:nDirectory

Purchase Orders

Recommendationfor purchase to

buyer

Multiplecommunications

with experts tooptimize

purchase plan

Each expertknows about 100

different stocks

Buyer purchasesbased onrecommendation

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Defining Dimensions of SupportDefining Dimensions of SupportDefining Dimensions of SupportDefining Dimensions of Support

Based on informal interviews with a set of programmers some with previous agents experience and others simply familiar with good software engineering practice.

Developer Support Documentation Web Presence

Workflow IDE Integration Use in Other Projects

Examples of Use Worked Examples Tutorials

Community Support Mailing Lists and

Forums User-Created Websites

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Developer SupportDeveloper SupportDeveloper SupportDeveloper Support

Non-code material written to explain how to use software. Documentation

Communicates the goals and intentions of the authors. Web Presence

Efficient way to disseminate software updates and information and provides point of contact.

Active web presence shows developers are still engaged

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Developer Support - EvaluationDeveloper Support - EvaluationDeveloper Support - EvaluationDeveloper Support - Evaluation

Documentation AAA

Does not provide much documentation

Programmer’s guide incomplete.

Javadocs available Aglets

Book written by developers FAQ, white paper on website

Cougaar Large volume of high quality

documentation Provides detailed discussion

of concepts behind Cougaar

Web Presence AAA

Primarily research project Not updated since 2002 Links to sample code and

documentation Aglets

Main site at IBM as well as SourceForge

Examples and tutorials available

Cougaar Well maintained, constantly

updated Documentation kept up to

date with new releases

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Examples of UseExamples of UseExamples of UseExamples of Use

Useful for illustrating features of the architecture and simple enough for a beginner to understand. Worked Examples

Complete solutions written using the architecture Simple “Hello World!” to complete and complex multi-agent

system. Provides “concreteness”

Tutorials Walk a programmer through construction of a worked example. Illustrates good programming practices for the architecture.

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Examples of Use - EvaluationExamples of Use - EvaluationExamples of Use - EvaluationExamples of Use - Evaluation

Worked Examples AAA

Sample agents A few user-created examples

Aglets Book has simple worked

examples Examples of use outside

development group Cougaar

Large number of worked examples

Example shows complete, complex Cougaar system

Tutorials AAA

None Aglets

Book has simple tutorials Outside tutorials

Cougaar Branch of project dedicated

to tutorials Material available from

training sessions

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WorkflowWorkflowWorkflowWorkflow

Programmers often perform their work through a well-defined workflow. This includes tools used, languages, and methodologies. IDE Integration

Many programmers use an integrated development environment (IDE).

Use in other Projects Architecture may ultimately fail unless it finds a place in other

projects and products.

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Workflow - EvaluationWorkflow - EvaluationWorkflow - EvaluationWorkflow - Evaluation

IDE Integration AAA

No special integration Aglets

Provides SDK, but no special integration with an IDE

Cougaar IDE plugin

- Eclipse only

Use in Other Projects AAA

Little outside use Aglets

Use in research projects Cougaar

Uses outside original logistics domain

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Community SupportCommunity SupportCommunity SupportCommunity Support

A large group of other programmers using an architecture are a valuable resource. Mailing Lists and Forums

Most immediate forms of community support Gives the developer the ability to ask questions to community as

well as authors of the architecture User-Created Websites

Valuable “real world” resources for developer Offers a way for developers to join the community

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Community Support - EvaluationCommunity Support - EvaluationCommunity Support - EvaluationCommunity Support - Evaluation

Mailing Lists and Forums AAA

Inactive Aglets

Large archives Related questions on other

lists Cougaar

Very active lists

User-Created Websites AAA

None Aglets

Online sites Cougaar

Frequently appears in online user sites

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ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion

AAA Research project Did not attain level of support to thrive

Aglets Had active user base Peaked and declined

Cougaar Excellent support from users and authors Continues to grow outside its original domain

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SummarySummarySummarySummary

DocumentationDocumentation is incomplete and out of date.

Extensive documentation, adequate for most purposes. Not updated.

Very extensive, well maintained documentation.

Web PresenceSmall presence. Pages are incomplete and not updated.

Good presence at main site and SourceForge but no longer updated

Constantly updated high-quality main website.

Worked ExamplesExample agents. Example of linking to another product.

Simple examples in the book. Some user-created examples.

Examples from simple to a complex online bookstore.

TutorialsNone Tutorials in book. Some user

created tutorials available.Branch of project dedicated to tutorials. Training material available.

IDE IntegrationNo special integration. Tahiti server gives a view of agents. Plugin available for Eclipse.

Use in other projects

Use in one project. Mainly research uses. Mainly in its logistics arena, but is finding more outside use.

Community Support

Limited support outside website. Not current

Active for a while but now support is limited.

Large, active, and growing user community

User-Created Websites

Little discussion outside its site. Several user creates sites. Shows up in online journals.

Appears in agent discussion. No dedicated outside sites.

Criteria AAA Aglets Cougaar